Your Big Race: What Happens When You Fall?

Lance Armstrong, the seven time winner of the famous Tour de France bicycle race, the sport’s most prestigious race, was competing in the 2003 race when his handlebars snagged on a spectator’s bag and he fell off his bike, hurting his elbow and hip. Lance continued on and later became the winner for the fourth time. Of course, he also went on to win the next three year’s races, as well.

When TV interviewer Charlie Rose asked Lance what went through his mind when he fell that day, Lance replied that he figured he was getting all his bad luck out of the way.

That, dear readers, is the mindset of a true champion.

Here’s a quick story about another champion, a client of mine – let me call her Mary – who gave me permission to share this with you. She’s an amazing woman who had just recently made a big transition in her life, taking a new job in another city as COO of a successful business.

We all know what that involves – uprooting your family, trying to sell one house while you buy another, settling into a new community, a new job, and new schools for the kids. Basically, it’s a huge amount of change and stress.

After driving for many hours to their new home, Mary, her family and their pets discovered fleas jumping all over the house and biting their feet. They had to leave while the realtor got an exterminator in.

Then in the moving process a box fell and broke her husband’s toe. Ouch!

After the move, one of her sons was very depressed about the move and leaving his friends.

Not to mention that Mary’s family was under major financial stress due to the transition. The house they had moved from hadn’t sold yet and her husband needed to get a job within a short period of time in order to meet their financial obligations.

On the job, one of Mary’s employees, a young woman with an infant, came to Mary’s office, in tears about a personal matter. Mary let her go home early and the next day the employee didn’t show up, causing everyone great concern.

A few days later the phone system at her new job went down and it took her three days to get it fixed. Emotions were running high as clients attempted to call the office. Mary was catching heat from her CEO, the employees and the clients.

Talk about stress!

But Mary is as wise as Lance Armstrong. She trusted that there was a greater plan and that it would all work out. She had no doubts about taking the position or the great future that lay ahead for this organization, herself and her family.

Shortly after these events, Mary sent me a quote, as she does once or twice a month. This one read: “The world of achievement has always belonged to the optimist.” Wow! Like Lance Armstrong, Mary is a champion. She inspires me.

What “bad luck” are you in the process of getting out of the way? Have you recently fallen on your face? Whatever it is, keep your eye on the prize and know that it is all working out perfectly.